European Economic and Social Committee President Oliver Röpke talks us through the next steps of the EU Enlargement plans to create a truly geopolitical EU
2023 was undoubtedly a historic year, marking a transformative moment in European history.
EU leaders decided to embark on a new course towards an enlarged Europe by launching accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, granting candidate status to Georgia, and recommending that negotiations be opened with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
While the road ahead remains long, it was a bold statement that resonated globally, demonstrating the resurgence of a truly geopolitical EU.
Next steps on EU Enlargement
The pressing question is: What is the EU’s next move? 2024 may prove to be a challenging year as the focus of EU leaders shifts homeward. Many EU Member States will hold national elections in 2024, and in June, Europeans will cast their ballots in the most significant democratic exercise on our continent – the European Parliament elections.
Simultaneously, the EU, much like the candidate countries, will have to do its own homework. Crucially, it must decide how to prepare for the Union of 30+ Member States, particularly regarding its decision-making processes. Such decisions are bound to take time, much like the reforms necessary to meet the accession benchmarks in the candidate countries.
However, there is a way to make progress on integrating candidate countries into the EU’s structures, allowing both to be better prepared for accession when the time comes.
Pioneering ‘progressive integration’
As the President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), an advisory body of the EU institutions, I am proud to state that our Committee has been pioneering ‘progressive integration’. In September 2023, the EESC made a landmark decision to integrate representatives from EU candidate countries into our daily work.
The Enlargement Candidate Members (ECMs), as we refer to them in our Committee, were selected in February and are now working alongside our members on key EU policies. They can contribute and share their views on the policies that matter most to them, whether the Common Agricultural Policy, energy security and grid integration, air pollution, or fundamental rights and the rule of law. The ECMs have an opportunity to understand better upcoming EU laws that they will need to align their national rules to.
The project is an essential learning exercise for our Committee and partners and will provide the glue that binds us together more strongly. It is crucial to underline that while the ECMs experience many of the duties of an EESC member, they do not have voting rights – those can be granted only once a country becomes an EU Member State, as stated in the EU Treaties.
Our unique initiative makes us the first EU institution to integrate enlargement partners into our ranks before their accession. This approach has received a warm welcome from EU institutions, Member States, and candidate countries alike.
EU Enlargement in the future
EU Enlargement means spreading democratic values, peace, and stability across the continent, and the ECM initiative represents a significant leap towards this future. Civil society involvement and strong social dialogue are indispensable for a well-functioning democratic system. EU accession countries have the right to contribute to building a more prosperous common European future. This is the essence of the ECM initiative. And this should be the EU’s next move.
